Piston-ring.



L. WESTERHOUSE.

PISION RING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. I916.

Patented Oct. 1, 191%..

" acitizen of the United and State of Kansas,

Lnwis wns'rnnnousn, or'ron r seor'r'. KANSAS, AssIenon To SAMUEL KAUFFMAN,

' or sex LOUIS, MISSOURI.

rrs'ron-nme.

To all whom it may concern.

Be .it known that I, LEWIS WEsTERHoUsE, States, residing at the city of Fort Scott, county of Bourbon, have invented a new and usefulPiston-Ring, of which the fol lowing-is a specification.

This invention relates to piston rings.

An obJeot of the invention is to provide a packing forp'istons comprising a ring composed of two overlapping parts of-equal ternal resiliency, whereby-they are pressed together to form the ring, each of said parts extending nearly throughout the circumference of the ring and provided with means 'forengagingthe integral connection of the two parts to hold the ends thereof in proper annular alinement.

Other objects will appear from the folr'eference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein, Y I

Figure I is an'elevation of the ring before the overlapping'parts have been impressed "with resiliency to hold them side byside i Fig. 2 is an elevation of the ringreversed I in which position it is'subjected totreatment 90 to provide the necessary resiliency to hold. the two parts side byside-as stated in the object of invention.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the ringcome pleted.

Fi 4 is a view looking toward one of the -s1de edges of the ring.

Fig. 5' is a view of a plston having a number of the. rin s mounted thereon.

Figs. 6 an 7 are elevations showing a ring of a slightly modified construction.

Figs. 8 and 9 are elevations of a ring of another slightly modified construction.

Fig. 10 is a erspeetive view of a portion of a ring of 'a s ightly different construction.

Fig. 11 is a erspective view of a portion of a ring of still another construction.

'The ring iscut from a cylinder of thedesired diameter to rovide two spaced overlappingparts 1, an 2 united by an integral connection 3, the width ofwhich is equal to the combined width of the parts 1 and 2 when the latter are pressed together. Each of the overlapping parts 1 and 2 extends nearly the entire circumference of the ring while the integral connectlon 3 extends over Specification of Letters l a tent. Application filed April '28, 1916. sea 94,200.

width-and length and impressed with in remaining Patented @ct.il,1l9i8.

of the ring. After the ring is cut from the cylinder it is reversed so that the overlapping parts 1 and 2 are placed in reverse positions as illustrated in Fig. 2. While in this position the ring is sub ected to heat to-impress therein and impart thereto the engage under,- a matching shoulder 5 on the lpart 3 and thus hold the end of the part 1 substantially in annular alinement with the eriphe of the ring, but permitting su cient re ative movement thereof to form close contact withthe surface of the a relatively small part of the circumference cylinder. The shoulders 4 and 5 are formed obliquely relative to the axis of the ring in order to enable the resiliency of the ring to overcome any tendency'of adhesion.

"The end of the part 2 and the adjacent P01131011 of the connecting part 3 are provided with similarly obliquely formed matching shoulders 6 and 7 for like purposes l The .ring .thus formed is com lete and ready to be applied to a piston. s heretofore stated and as illustrated in Fi 1, when the ring is first out from the cylinder the parts 1 [and 2 are spaced apart. It is necessary that the space between the overlapping parts he closed in order to prevent accumulations of carbon and other substance from becoming lodged within the space; and further in order to prevent the passage of the gas through the space. By provi ing the overlapping portions with resiliency so that they are pressed together by the internal elasticity of the materialin the manner de scribed, the space between the overlapping portions is entirely-closed, thus preventing accumulations of carbon or other material from becoming lodged therein and binding the parts together, and the passage of gas through the ring joints is also prevented. The ring is thus enabled to fit Within a groove of the proper width in the piston without binding against the walls of the move as would occur in the case of a ring l iaving its overlapping portions pressed tonot possible to cut the rings from'a cylinder without leaving the overlapping portions separated by a space of equal width with the thickness of the cutting implement. By impressing the overlapping portions with resiliency, so that the are pressed together by the internal elasticity of the material, all.

of the fregoingobjections are overcome. The corners formed at the intersection of the periphery of the overlapping portions and the side .walls of the overlapplng portions respectively are effective to cut away and remove any deposits which become caught or lod ed against the overlapping portions at theirabutting edges. In Fig. a number of the rings are illustrated a plied to a cylindrical piston 8 of the usuaFconstruction and arranged to operate within the cylinder 9 and to transmit power through a iston rod 10 which is connected to the piston y a pivot 11 in the well understood manner. The piston is provided with the usual circumferential grooves in which the piston rings are respectively mounted and in which it will be observed that the ring is compressed, so that the engaging shoulders 4 and 6 of the arts 1 and 2 are under the corresponding s oulders 5 and 7. 1 p In Figs. 6 and 7 the end of the part 1 is formed with a recess 12 arranged to receive a projection 13 on the connectm portion 3. In this construction the end of the part 1 is formed obliquely to engage upon the oblique wall of the part 3, so that there is no restraint to the expansion of the part 1. The

end of the part 2 is formed with a recess 14 adapted to receive a shoulder 15 on the connecting part 3 so that in these and other {particulars theends of the parts 1 and 2 o the ririg illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 are identical.

Figs. 8 and 9 the modified. construction comprises recesses 16 in the ends of the parts 1 and 2 adapted to receive tongues 17 on the connecting part 3, whereby relative lateral movement of the parts 1 and 2 is prevented when the ring is compressed.

The modified construction illustrated in Fig. 10 is identical with that illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 with the exception that the ends of the parts 1 and 2 and the adjacent portions of the connecting part 3 are cut radially and not obliquely.

The modified construction illustrated in Fig. 11 comprises tongues 18 on the ends of the parts and 2 arranged toengage in recesses 19 m the connecting portion 3 when the ring is compressed. In this construction also there are shoulders 20 arranged to engage in recesses 21 to limit outward expansion of the ends of the parts 1 and 2 when the ring is compressed.

Other modifications will be apparent without specific illustration or description and it will be understood that I contemplate such variations as maybe within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A piston ring of the open resilient type, comprising two overlapping r'ng portions, each extendin nearly the entire circumference of the ring and being of uniform width throughout their length, a relatively short connecting portion integrally connecting said ring portions, and shouldiets on said ring portlons arranged to; engage with said connecting portion to hold the en s of the ring portions in proper annlular alinement.

2. A piston ringof the open resilient type, comprising two overlapping ring por-,

tions of uniform width throughout their length, and having their adjacent side'edges at right angles to the axis of the ring, a

connecting portion integrally uniting jsaid ring portlons, oblique shoulders on the ends of said ring portions, and-oblique shoulders onsaid connecting portion adapted to'engage the shoulderson the ring portions to hold the ends of said ring portions in proper annular alinement.

3. A piston ring of the open resilient type composed of a'single piece of metal comprising two overlappin nearly the entire circum erence of the ring and having their abutting edges pressed toterial, a relatively short connectioninteparts extending grally uniting said overlapping parts, and

means for holding the ends of the overlapping parts in approximate annular alinement.

4. A piston rin of the open. resilient type comprismg a re atively short connecting ort1onand two overlapping-ring portions integral with the connecting portlon and each extending nearly the entire circumferenceof the rin portion, having their abutting edges at right an les, to the axis of the ring, and held toping portions, and engaging shoulders on i and havingacombined wldth equal to t e width of the-connecting get er by internal elasticity of the overlapsaid overlapping portions and on said con- I 105 gether by the internal elasticlty of the maa having a combined width equal to the width of the connecting portion and having their abutting edges at right angles to the axis of the ring, engaging shoulders on said overlapping portions and said connecting portion respectively holding said overlapping portions in annular alinement, and tongue and groove connection between said overlapping portions and said connecting portion limiting lateral movement of said overlapping portions relative to said connecting portion.

6. A piston ring of the open resilient type comprising an annular member composed of a connecting portion and two overlapping ring portions having a combined Width equal to the width of the connecting portion pressed together by resiliency. thereof and having their abutting edges at right angles to the axis of the ring, shoulders formed on said overlapping portions engaging said connecting portion and holding the overlapping portions in proper annular alinement, and a connection between the overlapping portions and said connecting portion limiting lateral movement connecting portion.

In witness whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS WVESTERHOUSE.

Witnesses:

SARAH M. HAWLEY, MARY BoYER.

of said 

